Chapter 27

I spend the afternoon in the back office of Dad’s diner. It’s so weird not being forced to cook, but Dad completely understands how I feel. Linda is really sweet and happy to “finally meet me.” She offered me a job making actual money. Maybe in the future, I wouldn’t mind helping out every now and then, but for now, screw cooking and cleaning. My dad just smiles. He’s just more happy to have me close by than anything else.

“I guess Dad mentioned me a few times?” I ask as Linda sets a club sandwich and fries in front of me.

Linda laughs. “You were all he talked about for a long time. Do you like your room? He says you’re his princess.”

I laugh. “Yes, I love it. You must have decorated it?”

She shrugs one shoulder. “Only a little. Your dad did most of it.”

I eat my food, which is amazing, and watch my dad as he cooks up an order. I still can’t believe it—he’s here, right in front of me. After all this time, I get to be with my dad. Linda pats my arm and then gets back out to the front of the diner.

Once Dad gets a break, he joins me in the office. “Hey, princess,” he says before kissing the top of my head.

I smile up at him. “Hi, Daddy.” He sits down and we talk about the pack. “How many are there now?”

I have no idea, but I give him my best guess based on how much food I had to cook for each meal. “Around a thousand, I think?”

He gives me a nod. “That’s a pretty large pack. With all the fires taking out the woods, I guess they had nowhere else to go. You had to cook and clean for that many people?” He clenches his jaw and shakes his head. I assume he’s upset that I was forced to be a slave my whole life. I lay my head against his shoulder; he relaxes minutely. “If I ever get the chance, I will kill that bastard Alpha.”

I look my dad over. I know he’s strong, but I also know his wolf has been lonely, making him weaker. Running in our wolves last night helped, but it takes more than one run and more than one other wolf to get strength. There’s strength in packs; that’s why they’re so important. I wonder if Dad could win against Alpha Greg. He did beat Alpha Edgar, but I would bet Alpha Greg is stronger, not to mention a bit younger. My dad is 53 years old. Plus, Dad was trying to save those people, which gave him more motivation to win. “Gran helped me in the kitchen whenever I didn’t have help. As for the cleaning, it was mostly just the pack house. Daddy, how did he start the fires without being caught?”

He runs his hand over his face. “He made tunnels that connected to the outside of their territories. He had crews of his most loyal supporters digging in the middle of the night when no one was around. They were supposed to be on guard, but he had them digging instead, leaving our pack vulnerable. I found a tunnel and followed it. The next night the fire happened, and I knew it was him.”

My heart races in my chest and my eyes bug as I try desperately to breathe. The tunnel. My tunnel. Oh, no! Ashton! I jump to my feet. “He’s going to kill them. He’s going after them.” I blast out of the office with no idea of where to go. I focus on the door and rush toward it.

Dad grabs me from behind and spins me to face him. “Gypsy, what’s going on? What’s wrong? Kill who?”

“I have to warn them. They’re in danger.” I try to pull away. I need to hurry.

Dad holds my face to make me look in his eyes. “Gypsy. Talk to me. Tell me what’s going on.”

I swallow before I can speak. “Ashton’s pack. That’s how I was able to meet him. I went through a tunnel. It was almost finished the last time I was there. Daddy, he’s going after the Canyon Ridge Pack. With the warriors gone now, there’s no one stopping him.” Holy shit. That’s why he went to war. I was a pawn in his little game, but no more. Dad’s jaw clenches. He tells Linda we have to leave for an emergency, then he leads me to his truck.

Dad peels out of the parking lot and flies down the road at an alarming speed. I’m gripping my seat with my claws. I’m so scared. Other than yesterday, I hadn’t been in a vehicle in ten years. Dad reaches over to hold my hand. “It’s okay, princess. We’ll get there.” My stomach is in my throat. He could have done it already. They could already be dead. Daddy taps my hand. “It would be all over the news if more woods were destroyed by fires. He hasn’t done it yet,” he answers my unspoken thoughts and pushes the gas pedal harder.

It’s nightfall when we arrive outside of the pack territory and park the truck in a densely covered area. “How are we going to get there? There is a whole pack between us and the tunnel.” I whisper my worry.

My dad looks around then looks back to me “How did you get out?”

I point to the ridge. “I climbed up the side of a waterfall then took that ridge there. The tunnel is under the waterfall, through a tiny crack. You’ll never fit through it.”

He nods to me and then removes his shirt, placing it in the truck bed. “Lead the way. We’ll look for the opening that they use once we get there.”

Climbing the Ridge in wolf form proves to be much easier. We make it to the top and then race toward my waterfall. We crouch down at the top of the waterfall to watch the patrol as they make their rounds. Daddy gives the signal, and we sneak down. I know the rocks are slippery, so I proceed with caution with my dad right behind me. I duck behind the waterfall and come out into my cave. Dad pops his head up and looks around while still in the water. “Yeah, there’s no way I can get in here. I’m going to look around. Stay here. I’ll be as fast as I can.” He doesn’t give me a chance to respond before he disappears back into the water.

I shake my fur out and pace the cave. I want to go through the crack, but I know I’m no match for whoever might be on the other end of the tunnel. I sniff the air, and everything smells normal; however, I have a sickening feeling something is wrong. I scratch at the crack, but it makes no dent whatsoever. Oh Goddess, please don’t let us be too late.

“Princess,” my dad whispers at me to pull me away from the crack. I rush over to him, still in my wolf form. “I found the entrance. The guards are making their patrol, then we’ll sneak over, hang tight.” He gulps in a deep breath and then goes back under the water. After a minute, he pops his head back in. “Stay in your wolf and follow me.”